Celebrating 8 Wonderful Years!

Wow, we have been married 8 years! Where does the time go?! We have been through so much in the last 8 years together! AND I AM SO GLAD TO BE GOING THROUGH THIS LIFE WITH YOU GARY! Can't wait for the next 50! I was looking at what I wrote last year and realized I love you more and more each passing year if that is even possible...and for that I am THANKFUL!

8 reasons I love you...
You are:
a man after God's heart
a man after my heart
a man who loves his children deeply and completely
a man who loves others unconditionally and wherever they are
the MOST forgiving person I have ever met
wise
generous
and of course handsome! ;)
(I have to say it was hard to narrow them down to 8! I was sitting here frustrated I couldn't narrow them down and choose...and then I thought, what a great problem to have!)
I love everything about you (even the things that drive me crazy!)...because that is what makes you, YOU!
Thank you for all you are to me and all you do for me and our family!
ALL MY LOVE,
Me :)

Some of my favorite pics of us over the years...It was so fun reminiscing looking through old photos! FUN TIMES! :) It was hard to narrow them down (I'm seeing a theme of having a hard time narrowing things down)!

1st Anniversary in Hawaii!

Yes, we are on the same wave!

Sedona

Western night at a company conference! Me, 5 months prego! :) He didn't want to wear the hat but I think he looks great as a cowboy! :)

Gary's awards night! Go Gary!

YOSEMITE! Can't wait to go back with the kids! SOON!

So tired after a long day of sight seeing in Germany!

Ethiopia on a missions trip! I love the kid picking his nose! ;)

5th Anniversary in Hawaii!

Having trouble downloading pics...

I have some great pics to post of the kids but for some reason I can't download them on my computer...I will post them when we figure out what the problem is. Hope everyone is having a great week! :)

just happened to hear...

Mornings around here are usually pretty hectic especially on Sundays when we are trying to get everyone out the door and to be on time for Church. As I am sure they are in any home. This AM was like any other, we were all in the kitchen getting ready for breakfast. Gary was at the stove making pancakes, Zach was in his fishy chair, Mak was already sitting at the table waiting for her favorite pancakes and I was trying to get the table ready and drinks for everyone. Gary put Mak's pancakes on her plate 1st and I just happened to hear her say in a very quite voice "Thank you God for this beautiful dinner."
I stopped in my tracks and just took a deep breath...I was so focused on getting things done that I almost missed such a special moment. And I realized that I am often focused on my tasks that I must be missing so much...especially things that come out of her precious mouth. She talks ALL DAY LONG...and I mean ALL DAY LONG! At 2 years old she was speaking in sentences so I should not be surprised!
So I am committing yet again, to slow down and listen...

** So funny Makenzie still calls every meal dinner no matter how many times we explain the differences...she says no, they are all just dinner. I don't know where she would get her stubbornness from? Or her mind of her own?...LOL! Wow, we are in trouble! LOL! :)

overjoyed!

Today I am overjoyed....and that joy and peace can ONLY come from Him. I will praise You when I'm troubled and I will praise You when I'm overjoyed. Today I am overjoyed...

God is so good...I am so grateful for the life He has allowed me to have...I can not explain what is going on in a way that would give true justice to God. So I thought I would just simply write: PRAISE THE LORD!

Enjoying the little things,
Dani :)

Pics are coming this week, I promise!

So stinking cute!

Makenzie is so stinking cute I can't handle it! Her personality over the last few months has really blossomed! She is beyond sweet and polite!
2 short funny things that happened today:
#1
Gary and Maki wrestle all the time...ok not really wrestle he just grabs her and rolls around on the floor and she laughs hysterically! Gary always says "you want a piece of me?" in a very funny voice when they are rolling around...so today Gary grabbed her and they were going back and forth and he said his line, and she yelled "NO THANK YOU DADDY!"

&
#2
Makenzie and I were going to sit down and read stories at "the blanket store" (we have a place behind the couch in the corner of the playroom where we keep all our blankets and pillows and that is what she calls it) and she said "read me Gi-lith!" I said "Gi-lith?" she said "you know Mommy Gi-lith, the big and scary man in the bible!" At last I got it, David and Goliath!

She is so fun! I love spending all day with her!

I will post pics later this week...both kids are down and we are going to watch 24! DVR is a wonderful thing! ;)

So much to blog about! So little time!

Zach is 12 weeks old! He is such a happy little guy! He is such a talker and is all smiles when he is awake! He even smiles when he is sleeping now! And last night the cutest thing happen...when he woke up for his 330am feeding he was cooing and even squealed with delight! So cute! :) Things were not always this rosy...Now that we have lived through it I can talk about it...lol! Weeks 4-8 were the hardest weeks of my life! Gary disagrees but this is my blog so I get to say what I want! LOL! :) Zach had colic...I don't like the term colic at all...it just basically means the Dr. doesn't know how to help you console your poor baby. Most nights from week 4-8 he cried off and on from about 4 in the afternoon until 2 or so in the AM...it was CRAZY! So, Gary and I switched off (so grateful he was SUCH a help!), he took him from about 7pm until about 11pm or so and I would take him from 11pm until he finally fell asleep...it was the 1st time in our marriage that we slept apart being in the same house...weird feeling. Usually around 2am Zach would finally fall asleep in the car seat in the living room while I rocked him and I never wanted to move him once I got him to sleep so I would just sleep on the couch beside him. When Makenzie was born we had a rule that nothing that was said counted from 10pm-6am for the 1st 3 months...since Zach was born we extended the hours from 8pm-8am! I highly recommend it for any parents with babies! ! Exhaustion can cause crankiness! Especially in me! So a couple of weeks ago I hit my wall (not literally of course!) I just could not believe he was just supposed to cry and cry and there was nothing we could do...so we took him to our chiropractor...I know what you are thinking a chiropractor on a newborn! I thought it was crazy too but I was desperate! And it was the best decision we could of made! The Chiropractor did some traction on his lower back and he literally melted in his arms...if I didn't see it with my own eyes I would not of believed it! It was truly unbelievable! And it was and instant transformation! He is now the happiest baby! Dave, my brother joked while he was here that they didn't even know there was a baby in the house! I do think it was a combination of the Chiropractor and his reflux meds helping him feel better. He is such a cute baby! I could not be more thankful to be on the other side of that rough patch. I was reminded this last week in a quiet moment, that when the going gets tough in life and things seem really hard or out of control or just plain painful, Gary and I always pull together and our relationship is always stronger for it! For that reminder, I am so grateful! And I can not write a post without mentioning my little Makenzie...she is so wonderful! And such a HUGE helper! She is so sweet and loving with Zach and he is all smiles when he hears her! Hopefully it will always be like that! I know, I'm dreaming! Enjoying some pics...
I walked in the kitchen the other day and Makenzie was singing to her baby...she went and got the stool out of the bathroom to rest her feet on! She is such a good Mommy to her dolls! :) And yes, she still only does silly smiles when the camera comes out! She is so funny and silly!

I think he looks so much like Gary here....I have a baby picture of Gary and he looks just like this...Mom/Nonnie Pat what do you think?

my dad

As I sit here watching The Superbowl I am reminded of a Superbowl 15 years ago...it was in Atlanta and the Bills were playing the Cowboys. The year before all the boys from our family went to the Superbowl and I was so disappointed, I really wanted to go. So my Dad said if the Bills were in the Superbowl the following year he would take me to it. Sure enough, the Bills won the AFC and my Dad stuck to his end of the deal! Bet he didn't think they would make it again! But he stuck to his word and we were off to Atlanta...I had the time of my life! It was an unbelievable experience! We bought tickets (way too much!) from a guy in a Hotel and he wouldn't sell them to my Dad because my Dad looked like a "cop or FBI" (the guy was right!) so he sold them to me...I just gave him an envelope of $$$ and he gave me the tickets. Yes, I was a bit nervous! But the best part was just having 1 on 1 time with my Dad...I didn't necessarily appreciate it then, but now I do. I misunderstood my Dad for so long (don't most kids?!)...but I am so grateful I understand him now (for the most part!lol!)! He loves his family with everything he has to give and supports us in everything. He is also the most generous person I have ever met!..I'm so grateful I realized how amazing he is! I wish I had just a fraction of his determination and discipline! He once smoked 2 packs a day for 20 years and quit in 1 day! And has not had a cigarette since...almost 20 years ago! He got his black belt in Karate just a few years ago. And he always has time for me...no matter what. And I love that every time we hang up he says "I love you"...he is this big, tough guy with a heart of gold.
Thanks for all you have brought to my life Dad...I LOVE YOU!
The next time the Bills are in the Superbowl I will take you! Hopefully the Bills will get their act together soon! :)
My Dad and his big tough dog, Buddy!